Prep golf: Lyerly wins individual title, East finishes runner up
Published 4:15 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2015
- Submitted Photo East Rowan’s boys golf, pictured after Monday's round, finished in second place in the 3A state championship in Southern Pines. Nick Lyerly (far left) shot a 4-under 67 to claim the individual championship. The team with Tuesday’s scores, left to right: Lyerly (67), Jacob Durham (78), Bryson Sprinkle (73), Logan Shuping (77) and Ben Rollins (87). Coach Rhett Teems stands behind.
One East Rowan golfer got a ring Tuesday at the 3A state boys golf championship in Southern Pines. Nick Lyerly shot a 4-under 67 on the tournament’s second and final day to claim the individual state championship at Longleaf Golf and Country Club.
Before starting his round, Lyerly was filled with positive vibes. He felt something special was going to happen that day.
“I did have a good feeling,” he said. “I know I can score well on the course. I birdied the first hole, and that gave me more confidence, and I was able to get more birdies after that.”
Lyerly birdied the first, fifth, eighth and ninth holes to make the turn at 4-under 32. A bogey on the 16th knocked him back to 3-under. A bounce back birdie — that included getting up and down out of a greenside bunker — on the 17th got him on the right path going into the final hole.
“I knew 4-under would be a tough score to beat,” Lyerly said. “I made birdie on 17 and got the momentum back, and I thought that was a good score. That definitely gave me confidence going to 18.”
He parred the last hole to clinch the title.
“Nick, he was just in the zone today,” East Rowan coach Rhett Teems said. “He hit some wedge shots that were incredible and made some putts. It went his way.”
The Mustangs went into Tuesday’s final round tied for the lead with three-time defending champion Gastonia Forestview. East Rowan, making its first appearance in the state tournament since 2002, got its second straight 295 to finish second to the Jaguars by a mere five strokes.
“Forestview was strong today,” Teems said. “I watched those kids. They shot darts all day. They picked up their game today.
“The boys did everything I asked them to do today. We missed a few putts, and that was pretty much the difference. I saw two or three lip out. Five shots. That’s five missed putts that didn’t fall.”
Bryson Sprinkle fired a 2-over 73, Logan Shuping had a 6-over 77, and Jacob Durham finished with a 7-over 78. Ben Rollins came in with a 16-over 87 to follow up on his first-round 81. The Mustangs finished with an 11-over 295 for the second straight day.
The Jaguars were led by Avery Price’s even-par 71. What sealed the win were Madison Duffie’s 1-over 72, Drewe Jurs’ 2-over 73 and Austin Standford’s 3-over 74.
In the overall team competition, Forestview and East Rowan were followed by Marvin Ridge in third, Lee County in fourth, and Cuthbertson in fifth.
In the individual competition, Concord’s Stephen Carroll had a solid couple of days with back-to-back even-par 71s to finish in a four-way tie for third. His teammate Walker Cress wasn’t far behind. Cress carded a 1-over 72 on Tuesday to finish at 3-over in a four-way tie for ninth.
Lyerly enjoyed coming away with a state championship, but he still wanted the team to share in the success.
“Obviously it felt good knowing I won the individual (title), but I really wanted the team to win because I knew we were in a close second,” he said. “I couldn’t be too disappointed because I won the individual, but I still wanted to win the team title.”
The Mustangs could be back in the mix next year. Jacob Durham is the only senior on the 2015 squad. So up to four players could be teeing it up for the Mustangs in 2016. Durham, however, is a big loss. He shot 79 last week at the 3A Midwest regional to get the Mustangs to Southern Pines. He shot a two-day 154 at the state tournament.
“Durham, at the regional and state, he played his butt off,” Lyerly said. “I don’t think he could have played any better.
“Maybe we can get a couple of freshman or sophomores to step up and maybe make another run.”
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS
2 Patrick Stephenson, South Johnston 75-65—140 (-2)
T3 Dalton Mauldin, Lee County 71-71—142 (Even)
T3 Stephen Carroll, Concord 71-71—142 (Even)
T3 Avery Price, Forestview 71-71—142 (Even)
T3 Isaac Nycum, Pisgah 71-71—142 (Even)
T7 Tripp Summerlin, Rockingham County 74-69—143 (+1)
T7 Michael Sardinia, Cuthbertson 70-73—143 (+1)
T9 Walker Cress, Concord 73-72—145 (+3)
T9 Tyler Kozlowski, Marvin Ridge 74-71—145 (+3)
T9 Zack Swanson, Marvin Ridge 74-71—145 (+3)
T9 Dawson Walker, Hibriten 75-70—145 (+3)
TEAM STANDINGS
Gastonia Forestview 295-290—585
East Rowan 295-295—590
Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 303-291—594
Lee County 316-295—611
Waxhaw Cuthbertson 306-313—619
Corinth Holders 310-310—620
Rockingham County 309-311—620
Belmont South Point 312-320—632
Kings Mountain 314-327—641
Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 320-323—643
West Brunswick 319-332—651
Wilson Hunt 327-327—654
